The social media platform X was banned in Pakistan in February this year during the time of elections. While activists had criticised the ban, the government defended it by saying it was in national interest.
While a whole host of international leaders descended on the federal capital for the SCO summit, it was invariably Jaishankar who remained the "centre of attention" in Pakistani media. Also, it was the first time that both countries avoided blaming each other at the summit. Is it a new start?
Jaishankar said trust was key for cooperation and the SCO member nations can benefit immensely if the grouping moves ahead collectively. He said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.
S Jaishankar on Wednesday said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism.
Shehbaz Sharif called the SCO a "beacon of multilateralism" and reaffirmed his commitment to regional peace, enhanced connectivity and sustainable socio-economic development. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is also attending the summit, the first Indian EAM to visit Pakistan in nine years.
The brief exchange took place at the venue of the SCO summit. Jaishankar warmly shook hands with PM Sharif and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and held a very brief interaction.
The plenary session proceedings began with an opening speech by Pakistan PM Shehbaz who chaired the summit, followed by speeches by the dignitaries. The session will conclude with a document-signing ceremony.
Dr S Jaishankar arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday to attend the SCO Summit. He shook hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and exchanged greetings.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the SCO Summit in Pakistan, where he is likely to raise India's concerns over cross-border terrorism. His visit is the first by an Indian EAM since 2015 amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours.
Responding to a query about the visit of Jaishankar and India-Pakistan ties, the foreign minister's spokesperson said Pakistan had received an "official intimation with regards to this visit" and it was ready to welcome all members.
Led by Manzoor Pashteen, the group had been active for some years, with its leadership blaming the armed forces for the problems faced by the tribal region along the Afghan border.
Shehbaz Sharif described Naik's lectures as "highly insightful and impactful," noting that he has a considerable following among young audiences. Later that day, he also met with several other leaders, including the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Pakistan has been struggling to fix its economy for the last many years and it was close to default in 2023 but a timely loan of USD 3 billion by the IMF saved the situation.
India called Shehbaz Sharif's speech at UNGA a "travesty" and said Pakistan's fingerprints were on several terrorist incidents across the world. Earlier, Shehbaz called on India to reverse the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and accused it of “massive expansion of its military capabilities".
Pakistan is in disarray. Discussions are going over Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pakistan. PM Modi's visit to the US dominates the conversation from Islamabad to Lahore to Rawalpindi. There is a huge anxiety in Pakistan over PM Modi's visit to the United States.
Baloch pointed out that the two countries have a mechanism of Indus Water Commissioners and all issues about the treaty can be discussed in it. She also said that any measures to address concerns about the treaty must be taken within the agreement's provisions.
On August 30, a notice was issued to Pakistan under Article XII(3) of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). New Delhi emphasised the need to reassess obligations under different articles of the treaty due to unforeseen changes in circumstances.
Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry had worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems.
In a televised address, Yunus mentioned that following his swearing-in as the head of the administration, he received congratulatory calls and messages from various world leaders who expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Bangladesh.
The Pakistani government announced that the project is designed to expand seating capacity from 8,000 to 24,000. With a budget of PKR 3 billion, the project is slated for completion by December 2025. It is said to be initiated to align with the seating capacity on the Indian side.
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